Chapter 73

(ps: brothers, please comment and urge updates, even if you just post a 1, let the author know they're not playing solo!! Kneeling thanks! Also, there are 17 book reviews, the work now has a rating, hope brothers support more, low score not blamed, high score thanked, author is a Virgo, really can't stand insufficient number of ratings (ˊ? ˋ*))

Outside Chang'an City, ten-li long pavilion.

The autumn wind was bleak, making the maple leaves on both sides of the official road rustle, red as clusters of burning flames.

A carriage that looked ordinary but was extremely comfortable inside was quietly parked by the roadside. Wang Hui (Wang Xiu) wore a plain brocade robe, having removed all official attire, standing in the pavilion, watching his two sons come to see him off.

"Father, this journey to Jiangnan is long; you must take care of your health." Eldest son Wang You bowed, his words full of reluctance. He now works at the Hanlin Academy, gradually showing talent, well regarded, and his conduct grows ever more steady and thorough.

"I know, you in the Capital must also look after yourselves." Wang Hui patted his shoulder, his heart full of relief. This son no longer needs his worry.

His gaze then fell upon his second son, Wang Ce.

Wang Ce took off his military uniform and wore the regular attire of an Imperial Guards commander, his posture appearing even more upright.

Only those once sharp eyes now bore a layer of sorrow from parting.

"Father..." He stepped forward, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin.

"Ce'er," Wang Hui looked at him and sighed, "As commander of the Imperial Guards, you hold high rank and power, yet you are also in perilous circumstances. Remember, behind you stands the entire Wang Family. In all matters, think thrice before acting; do not be impulsive."

"I understand, Father." Wang Ce nodded heavily. His father's teachings had long been etched in his heart.

"You two brothers, one in court, one in the military, must look after each other. You'er, you are steady; advise your younger brother more. Ce'er, you should also listen to your elder brother's words." Wang Hui urged again.

"Yes, Father." The two brothers replied in unison.

Wang Hui (Wang Xiu) looked at the two sons before him, his heart filled with mixed feelings. He knew this parting might last years, or even longer.

But he felt little sorrow; instead, a lightness as if a burden had been lifted, for he could finally set down this heavy load and become a true wealthy family patriarch.

"Alright, the time is late; I should set off." Wang Hui turned, preparing to board the carriage.

"Father!" Wang Ce suddenly called out to him again.

Wang Hui turned back, only to see Wang Ce produce from his bosom a small item wrapped in brocade cloth, which he handed over.

"Father, this is a hundred-year-old ginseng I seized on the battlefield; the military doctor said it most nourishes vital energy. Carry it with you, and if you feel unwell, slice a piece to hold in your mouth."

Wang Hui took the small cloth bundle; it felt warm in his hand, as if still carrying his son's body heat, and his eye sockets grew a little moist.

This son, who was decisive and never frowned on the battlefield, had also grown up, becoming a child who would worry for his father.

"Good, good, Father accepts it." He patted Wang Ce's shoulder; a thousand words turned into that pat.

He turned and boarded the carriage, never looking back.

"Let's go."

The coachman gave a shout, the carriage slowly started, heading southeast along the official road toward the misty rain-soaked Jiangnan.

Wang You and Wang Ce stood in place until the carriage's shadow completely vanished at the end of the official road, then slowly turned back and returned to Chang'an.

Their faces bore a hint of desolation, yet their eyes revealed an unprecedented resolve. They knew that from today onward, they would truly face the Capital's storms on their own.

……

All the way south, traveling by day and resting at night.

Free from official duties and political intrigue, Wang Hui's mood was unprecedentedly relaxed.

He lay in the spacious, comfortable carriage, watching the ever-changing scenery outside, feeling the sky so blue, the water so clear, even the air carrying a sweet taste of freedom.

He could finally stop playing the cautious, timid 'Wang Hui'!

When passing a picturesque mountain or river, he would have the entourage stop, alone, climb to a height to gaze afar, and recite a few doggerel poems.

At a bustling market, he would eagerly disembark to sample local snacks, listen to the northern and southern accents of vendors' cries, and feel the most genuine human warmth of this era.

This feeling is truly wonderful.

After more than a month, the entourage finally arrived in Yangzhou.

When Wang Hui's carriage slowly entered the grand estate prepared for him by the banks of Slender West Lake, the core members of the Wang Family in Jiangnan were already waiting at the gate.

Leading them was his wife, Lady Li. Though years had passed, she remained gentle and charming, only a few traces of time at the corners of her eyes. Seeing Wang Hui alight, her tears instantly flowed.

"Husband, you have finally returned."

"Mm, I'm back." Wang Hui stepped forward, gently taking her hand, his heart filled with guilt and tenderness.

Behind him stood a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy and a middle-aged man approaching forty.

The boy had a handsome, refined appearance, a quiet demeanor, and his eyes brimmed with curiosity and thirst for knowledge about the world. Seeing Wang Hui, his gaze held a touch of filial affection mixed with some distance.

He was Wang Hui's third son, Wang Qian, possessing the talents of 'Literary Thought Springing Forth' and 'Investigating Things to Extend Knowledge,' the Wang Family's 'scholar'.

That middle-aged man, dressed in refined merchant attire, bore a steady demeanor yet sharp eyes. Upon seeing Wang Hui, he stepped forward and performed a deep bow.

"Brother-in-law Lu Wen, I pay my respects to elder brother."

He was none other than the husband of Wang Hui's sister Wang Zhi, and the actual manager of the Wang Family's Jiangnan enterprises, Lu Wen.

Wang Hui's sister Wang Zhi also stood aside, gazing at her brother, her face full of the joy of reunion.

"Everyone rise, everyone rise. As family, no need for excessive ceremony." Wang Hui smiled, helping each of them to their feet.

Entering this garden, more exquisite and beautiful than the Capital's mansions, Wang Hui finally truly felt what ease meant.

Here there was none of Chang'an's sternness and oppression, only small bridges over flowing water, pavilions and towers, and the laughter of family.

That evening, the family gathered and ate a true reunion meal.

After the meal, Wang Hui summoned Lu Wen and Wang Qian alone to the study.

He first inquired in detail of Lu Wen about the Wang Family's industrial layout in Jiangnan. Lu Wen lived up to expectations, having everything in orderly fashion.

Under a new trade name, the Wang Family held a pivotal position in Jiangnan's silk, tea, ceramics, and maritime transport sectors.

Wealth was quietly accumulating at a pace faster than in the north.

Wang Hui (Wang Xiu) nodded in satisfaction, knowing he had made the right move.

Afterward, his gaze fell upon his third son, Wang Qian.

"Qian'er, I hear you've recently made quite a name for yourself among the Jiangnan literati?" Wang Hui asked with a smile.

Wang Qian's face flushed slightly, a bit embarrassed as he said, 'I've merely written a few crooked poems and painted a few clumsy works; I don't deserve such praise from Father.'

Oh? Bring it for Father to look at.

Wang Qian took the scroll from the servant's hands and slowly unfurled it.

On the painting was a Jiangnan waterside scene, with delicate brushwork and a distant atmosphere; beside it was inscribed a short poem:

The east wind dyes the islet green again; the clear light shines a few times on the returning boat. In the guest lodging, a night of listening to the drizzling rain; tomorrow the long street will sell spring orchids.

Wang Hui (Wang Xiu) looked at the painting, read the poem, and was completely stunned.

This… this poem…

He knew that the talent 'Literary Talent Spring Gushing' was formidable, but he never imagined it could be this formidable! These few lines of poetry, though different in wording, clearly bear the style of several later great poets; these styles were perfectly fused together by Wang Qian, becoming his own artistic conception, seamless, without a trace of forced craftsmanship!

This son's literary talent is truly astonishing!

He looked at Wang Qian's clear eyes, and only one thought filled his mind.

The Wang family's future will have not only power and wealth, but also fame!

(ps: The whole tomato, I'm the only one who's a flop; why do you insist on staring at those big shots? What is this ** perfect attendance? It's just two cents either way, screw perfect attendance; in this world, no one can let me finish!)